Langmeier Backup

General Information about Langmeier Backup

Langmeier Backup is an Application that allows you to easily backup your data. Your data is saved and can be restored at any time. You can archive your data locally or on a remote server.

What are the supported Medias for your Backup?

You can do backups on many different medias. Langmeier Backup is predestined to backup your data on an external drive. Your local Hardware dealer can recommend a model for your needs.
Depending of the size of the data that you want to backup you can do the backup even on a Zip(R)-Drive or a Compact Flash Card. In the Manual only the external drive option is mentioned even though all functions are available for all backup medias.

Supported Drives and Data Medias

Langmeier Backup supports all Devices that are accessible form your Microsoft OS. If you want to backup to a CD or DVD, a further software component like DirectCD by Roxio or InCD by Nero is needed. Devices like tapes or streamers are not supported by this software.

Data can even be stored over a local or a VPN network, even wireless LAN is supported. In order to do so, just enter a UNC-Path as the source. For example: '\\Server\’name of drive’'. Alternatively, instead of entering a UNC-Path, you can use a network drive directly. In particular, you can do the backup on a remote backup server. Most FTP servers are supported.

Threats of a Data Loss

To choose the appropriate backup method you have to know the possible threats:

· Human failures and mistakes: You accidentally delete or change a file. After a certain period, you recognize your mistake and want to have access to your former files.

· Technical failure: A hard disk can crash and you lose all your data. Sometimes a recovery can rebuild your data, but often the data can be restored only partly.

· Act of Nature beyond Control: Lighting strikes, fire or flooding.

Langmeier Backup has been developed to protect you from all these threats. Certainly in case of fire or flooding, your backed up data could be destroyed as well. So the most secure way is to save your data on a remote server such as an FTP server. You may ask yourself what the advantage is to save your data on the same disk. Some of the human failures and mistakes can be prevented with this step, but a technical failure like a disk crash would still destroy all your data. So to prevent all risks it is recommended to use an external disk.

The following illustration shows which choices prevent you from which threats

Threats	Backup on the same device	Backup on an other device	Backup on a remote server

Human failures and mistakes	X	X	X
Technical failure		X	X
Act of Nature beyond Control			X

Which data should be backed up?

Of course, it is your choice to decide which data you want to save. However I can give you a recommendation here. Which folders should be saved:

- "My Files"
- Project Directories
- Directories with Data from your databases
- Directories with source code and scripts
- "C:\Document and Settings“

In "My Files“, you probably have a lot of personal and valuable data. You should include this folder into your backup job. Consider to save this files historicized so you can look up and restore all versions you ever saved. The directory "C:\Documents and Settings" contains all settings of the current user of your operating system. You should better not save the 'Program' directory. You can reinstall your programs anytime. If you backup your programs, there is a risk that you will backup a virus as well. When you restore the date, you would restore the virus as well.

see: Save data historicized